Lasik Surgery

[Ivor Biggun]

Well I managed to knock my ten year old glasses off the bed the other day and broke one of the lenses-not bad after ten years!! I normally wear monthly contact lenses but got to thnking about having lasik surgery. My eyes have been on the same prescription for as long as I can remember so it must be pretty stable. I just wondered if any of you had had it and what you think about it. It costs me about GBP150 a year for lenses and I can get the surgery out here for about B60k at Rutnin eye hospital in bangkok. It's also available in Phuket but it's second hand equipment from the main hospital in Bangkok and I'd rather go with the up to date stuff.

[Jake_Sully]

Ivor my mother after a horrible car accident has pretty bad vision now and tends to get double vision especially when trying to read or watch TV. She was told by her eye doctors she needed Lasik or she'd have to deal with the double vision problem all her life. After a bit of finding out our insurance company said they'd cover the costs of lasik. When my dad asked for alternatives, they suggested she could get bi focals which are expensive and we'd have to put a good chunk of our own money into it. This was a tricky choice.. cover all of lasik costs or just part of money for the bifocal glasses.. but my dad decided to do some research on it before opting for lasik.

He looked up after effects and problems of lasik and found two people in our own neighborhood who had had lasik and had nothing but problems which required months and months of revisits to the eye surgeon and they both had to go back to get it fixed with follow up surgeries.

My parents are not afraid of surgery.. my dad had a triple bypass for his heart arteries done a few years ago, but after the research he concluded that it was safer to get bifocal lenses than risk lasik even if money was no concern.

Best of luck with whatever you decide Ivor.

[El_hefe]

I had it about 5 years ago, or rather I had PRK since it was a better procedure for my particular situation (it has to do with the odd shape of my cornea), & I haven't regretted it, yet. My main advice would be to go to another qualified opthamologist (sp?) who, ideally, doesn't do the procedure & get his second opinion about it & your eyeballs in case there is any questionable areas that the first operator might gloss over in order to make his payday.

I have a family history of glaucoma & last month I went for my "annual" checkup (it's been 2 years because I've been casual about it) & I went to a new Dr. who told me I had glaucoma now & seemed put off by the fact I had PRK & not lasik . I was still digesting the fact that I had glaucoma & so I didn't pursue questions about the laser op, I will do that this week at the follow up to see if there is any correlation. As I said it's in the family & not totally surprising.

It goes without saying I think that one shouldn't be seduced by low prices & "sales" etc.,... pick someone with the most experience possible & where it is done in a clinical/medical setting, not a shop or a mall. Most people are pleased with the outcome, there is a small percentage of matters made worse, they only say your vision should improve, not become perfect, although that can happen as well, it's not a precise procedure in that sense.

It is also possible if you are of a certain age you will need reading glasses after the procedure.
Good luck.

[rxpharm]

Ivor, good advice from Jake and El_hefe. There's a very good summary of Lasik here: Lasik - Wikipedia, that goes over the risks and possible complications.

[mardhi]

I knew a guyl who had LASIK done in Pattaya (at BKK Pattaya Hospital) and he had nothing but problems eventually to the point of nearly losing his eye sight (and before he lost it cancer finished him off).    To my mind, I would never bother with this type of elective surgery and I wear glasses.    

Cheers
Mardhi

[azza33]

I agree... I can live with glasses but if something goes wrong... I couldn't stand losing my eyesight.

[Ivor Biggun]

I'm the same way- petrified about it going wrong. I've spoken to a few guys here who have had it with no probs and another who needed a quick tweak, since then he's had no probs and they all swear by it. I don't trust Bangkok International Hospital in Phuket- too slick for me and they apparently have the older equipment passed down from Bangkok. Considering either Bumrungrad or Rutnin Eye Hospital in Bangkok if I do go through with it.

[El_hefe]

Just to follow up on this.... my Dr. confirmed that there was no correlation between the laser procedure & the onset of glaucoma.

I've enjoyed being glasses free & am glad I had it done.

[EyeMahk]

If you are in your 50s, you may want to look into a procedure called cataract extraction with multifocal lens implant. If you are over 50, you will need cataract surgery in the near future anyway. This procedure will solve both problems at same time.

These lenses have been on the market for the last 4 years.

Personally, I would not have eye surgery performed in Thailand.

[harley quinn]

For the non squeamish BMs out there - this is on Youtube and shows the extraction and implant procedure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21oN4wdKnyg

As a glasses wearer since age 10 (although I can function without particularly when assisted by Mr.Daniels' product) I have considered the options of lasik and cataract implant and what puts me off is that if there is a mistake then that's your eyesight done!

call me a wimp but I'll stick with specsavers!!!

[Ivor Biggun]

The problem with lenses compared to glasses is they don't hold as much beer!!! This isn't going to be a rash spur of the moment decision either way. As to the comment about not doing i in Thailand, personally i have no hassle with it, but would not do it in Phuket. I'm in a different situation to most in that my aftercare if necessary would be over here.

[Socrates999]

How about doing 1 eye at a time? I've got a really bad left eye. I was thinking about starting with that. If it came up to at least the quality of my right-eye, then I would follow with the right-eye surgery

[rxpharm]

Yes, you can have 1 eye done at a time. I would check things out very carefully before proceeding though. One thing I've noticed in Canada is that hardly any of the ophthalmologists who perform this procedure have actually had it done themselves. Also be aware that your night vision will be affected - although the newer techniques don't have as great an impact. If you drive a car or ride a motorcycle at night, keep that in mind.